Microplastics data collected from streams in the northeastern United States, 2017-2018

These data were collected to characterize the quantity and quality of microplastic particles found in 17 streams in the northeastern United States, from New York to Virginia. USGS staff who represent the Urban Landscapes Capabilities Team (ULCT) within the North Atlantic-Appalachian Region designed the study and collected the water samples on which the data are based. Data were collected during 2017 and 2018 and included a baseflow and stormflow sample at each site. Additionally, the various microplastic particles in each sample were characterized by one of two different size-fraction categories (categories of 355-1000 micrometers and 1000-5600 micrometers), by type of particle (fiber/line, fiber clump, bead/pellet, film, foam/rubber, or fragment), and by the number of particles of each type per sample. Quality control data also are included.

Data and Resources

Field Value
accessLevel public
bureauCode {010:12}
catalog_@context https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.jsonld
catalog_conformsTo https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema
catalog_describedBy https://project-open-data.cio.gov/v1.1/schema/catalog.json
identifier USGS:5ea07ab282cefae35a135323
metadata_type geospatial
modified 20201001
old-spatial -79.93756, 37.27794, -71.40533, 41.97121
publisher U.S. Geological Survey
publisher_hierarchy Department of the Interior > U.S. Geological Survey
resource-type Dataset
source_datajson_identifier true
source_hash 5f8e5518043bf03616aabfdd83fc06d193a7470f
source_schema_version 1.1
spatial {"type": "Polygon", "coordinates": [[[-79.93756, 37.27794], [-79.93756, 41.97121], [ -71.40533, 41.97121], [ -71.40533, 37.27794], [-79.93756, 37.27794]]]}
theme {geospatial}
Groups
  • AmeriGEOSS
  • National Provider
  • North America
Tags
  • amerigeo
  • amerigeoss
  • ckan
  • connecticut
  • contamination-and-pollution
  • geo
  • geoss
  • human-impacts
  • inlandwaters
  • microplastics
  • national
  • new-jersey
  • new-york
  • north-america
  • pennsylvania
  • rhode-island
  • surface-water-quality
  • united-states
  • usgs-5ea07ab282cefae35a135323
  • virginia
  • washington-dc
isopen False
license_id notspecified
license_title License not specified
maintainer Shawn C Fisher
maintainer_email scfisher@usgs.gov
metadata_created 2025-11-22T20:25:06.436458
metadata_modified 2025-11-22T20:25:06.436461
notes These data were collected to characterize the quantity and quality of microplastic particles found in 17 streams in the northeastern United States, from New York to Virginia. USGS staff who represent the Urban Landscapes Capabilities Team (ULCT) within the North Atlantic-Appalachian Region designed the study and collected the water samples on which the data are based. Data were collected during 2017 and 2018 and included a baseflow and stormflow sample at each site. Additionally, the various microplastic particles in each sample were characterized by one of two different size-fraction categories (categories of 355-1000 micrometers and 1000-5600 micrometers), by type of particle (fiber/line, fiber clump, bead/pellet, film, foam/rubber, or fragment), and by the number of particles of each type per sample. Quality control data also are included.
num_resources 2
num_tags 21
title Microplastics data collected from streams in the northeastern United States, 2017-2018